Concept Testing

When you have a big idea that you want to get right, it can save you a lot of time and money to concept test it before you bring it to the world. Concept testing allows you to refine a product concept, ad campaign, new logo, or even a landing page by getting feedback directly from your target market. It can be as simple and quick or iterative and sophisticated as you need.

How and why to perform concept development tests

The definition of concept testing is the process of getting an idea evaluated by your target audience before it becomes available to the public. It includes anything from product concepts to ad campaigns.

As an example, say a marketing team holds a day-long brainstorming session to come up with ideas for an advertising campaign. When the session is over, there are dozens of options on the table, and a few seem like real winners. Here are some questions that a marketing professional might want to know the answers to before launching a campaign:

Does this ad stand out against my competitors’ ad?

Does this ad capture viewers/listeners attention?

Do you recognize this brand?

Would you trust this brand?

Which button would make you buy?

The answers to these questions make it easy to choose a concept to go with, and they help hone the final product.

Doing a concept testing project like the example above can take a lot of time but it ends up saving your organization time and money. Consider the following two benefits of concept testing:

1. It prevents you from choosing bad ideas. Companies of all shapes and sizes are vulnerable to making mistakes if they don’t test their ideas first. Below are specific examples as well as a study, showing that when a bad idea moves forward, it can be costly.

A brand whose online ad is perceived as annoying is, all else equal, $.153 more expensive per ad displayed. Given the number of times an ad gets shown, this can become expensive, quickly

Logo designs can cost brands millions of dollars. This makes the prospect of failure all the more scary. As a modern day example, BP (Britain-based oil and gas company) spent 136 million pounds on a new logo that’s been widely controversial

Unfortunately, the consequences of pursuing a bad idea are often significant.

2. It can help you get others in your company behind your ideas. Do you ever have ideas that you’re confident will work but you can’t get buy-in from your team? Proving that an idea is popular with consumers can convince your team to pursue it. After all, if consumers in your target market like it, who’s to say it won’t work?

Concept testing seems to be essential for marketers and product managers. But how do they really feel about it? To find out, we went ahead and surveyed them directly. Here’s what they told us:

72% of advertising professionals said it’s important to test an ad before it’s launched. Doing so can make the ad more successful, they said, because effective ads stem from an in-depth understanding of what consumers really want (and what they really don’t).

Product-focused managers strongly agreed: 85% said that testing is vital to their success at work.

Despite the importance they all place on testing, less than half of those we polled actually conduct concept tests. This means creating your own test may be a big opportunity to get a leg up on the competition.

Ways to use concept testing questions

How can you apply these concept testing methods? We’re glad you asked! All sorts of business challenges can be solved with the right type of testing. Here are a few examples:

Logo testing

Need to understand how customers might respond to your new logo? Or, trying to figure out if your new logo communicates a benefit (like trust, innovation, or fun)? Online surveys are a great way to test different creative concepts and designs—to ultimately come up with a logo that best visually communicates your brand.

Website design

Redesigning your site or launching a new one? Sharing your design concepts with people who will one day interact with them is a great way to see what a sample of your target population thinks—and of course, make sure you get everything right.

Ads, landing pages, and conversions

Many online marketers test headlines, images, and content on their websites to identify winning combinations of messages and designs. Which ad tends to grab the most eyeballs? Is the ad compelling enough to click on? And do the people who click become customers soon after? This method of testing can give your conversion rate optimization efforts a real boost.

Move beyond the numbers and hear from individuals directly. Their feedback might push you in a new direction you hadn’t anticipated or validate what the numbers you already have to tell you. If you need help brainstorming, our Ad/Copy Testing Survey Template can help you ask the right questions.

Pricing and upgrades

Planning to offer consumers an incentive for upgrading to a new product or service? Thinking about a new pricing system? Use migration path tests to assess initial reactions, and spot the key features and benefits consumers are looking for. Then, develop upgrade tests to see if your new product line will result in a boost in sales.

Name testing

The name of your company or product has a big impact on its success in the target market. It tells them what you offer, the benefits they can expect to receive, and can even elicit certain feelings. To help you brainstorm the right questions for testing either company or product names, check out our Name Testing Survey Template.

Price Testing Survey Template

How price-sensitive are consumers in your target market? And are they typically satisfied or dissatisfied with the value of products in your category? Find out with our Price Testing Survey Template.

Having trouble finding the right people to take your survey? Test any and every concept on your target market using SurveyMonkey Audience.

Product and concept development

Find out which features a product should include, and which ones add nothing to your bottom line. This often involves determining the manufacturing quality of your product and understanding its ease of use. Use product concept and usability tests to ensure your product meets customers’ expectations.

Concept testing comes in a variety of forms—from product concepts, ads, or potential names for your company/product. The process of testing things on your target audience helps your team find out what works and what doesn’t before deciding how to best move forward. Over time, this helps your team focus on executing the best ideas while staying away from mistakes that leave a lasting impression—like this.